


For me, you

by Craftswoman



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Children, Chubby Harry Potter, Cooking, Curse Breaker Draco Malfoy, Discussion of Abortion, Divorced Harry Potter & Ginny Weasley, Draco Malfoy & Harry Potter Friendship, Ex-Auror Harry Potter, Friends to Lovers, Gay Draco Malfoy, Good Draco Malfoy, Happy Ending, Home Improvement, Insecure Harry Potter, Interior Decorating, M/M, Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, POV Alternating, POV Draco Malfoy, POV Harry, Pining Draco Malfoy, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, Slow Build, Weight Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-15
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:15:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21592138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Craftswoman/pseuds/Craftswoman
Summary: "It'll be all right, Harry. It's been like this before, but you two always seems to patch it up again."Harry shook his head. Not this time, not anymore. This was it, the dream that had been him and Ginny was over.Now Harry was forced to build himself a new life, for him and his children. What better place than the old house Sirius left him. But it's not really fit for a family with small children as it is and Harry needs help.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, past Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley - Relationship
Comments: 10
Kudos: 297





	For me, you

They didn't part well when they finally decided to let go. When the rows over trivial things got out of hand, developed out of its proportions and became unbearable for both of them. When shouting over toothpaste was easier than talking about the things that really hurt.

Finally, Harry packed a few things, with the little boys standing in the doorframe holding hands, Albus sucking his thumb, eyes round and scared. Harry lifted Lily from the cot, kissed her and tickled her. She squeaked and drooled, too little to understand the gravity of the situation. Then he gathered his sons close to his chest. "Daddy has to go away for a little while," he said, and his voice quivered with supressed emotion. "You both be good boys and take care of each other and your little sister. I'll see you in a few days, all right?" He placed kisses on the top of their heads, first Jamie then Al, and stood. With tears burning behind his eyes he quickly turned around and went for the hearth in the living room. He threw a handful of the glittering powder into the fire and called for Ron and Hermione.

Half an hour later Hermione had Floo-ed over to Ginny and the children, and Harry was seated with Ron, a steady Fire-whiskey in front of him at the table, while his best friend awkwardly patted his back. "It'll be all right, Harry. It's been like this before, but you two always seems to patch it up again."

Harry shook his head. Not this time, not anymore. This was it, the dream that had been him and Ginny was over.

A few days later Harry stood in the dark hallway of number 12 Grimmauld Place, unshrinking his bags and brushing the snow off his shoulders. He looked around at the old townhouse and sighed.

It'd been left empty and deserted for a long time, and everything that had been done to the place when it was used as Headquarter for the Order seemed to have been undone again over the years. It was definitely not a place for children, not as it was. But this house was his, it was part of him in a way very few things were. It was a connection to his Godfather, and through him to his parents and to Remus. He wanted to create something nice of the old place, somewhere the kids felt safe and would want to come home to.

Ginny had refused to live here when they set up home. She wanted something more modern and closer to the Burrow, so it was left as it was. Now, that he was free to do what he wanted, this felt like the most obvious choise.

He climbed the stairs, careful not to make too much noise as he passed the covered portrait of Mrs Black and sighed again. That had to go before any child of his stepped foot in this house, along with a lot of other horrifying heirlooms from Sirius' family. He stubbornly jutted out his jaw when he saw the mess in the bedroom he had once shared with Ron. 

The silence and the eeriness hit him, and he removed his glasses and rubbed his face with his hands. Maybe he could get a dog, Ginny hated dogs.

0o0o0o0o

After the war it was like a whirlwind had hit him, everything seemed to be going too fast. When the media hysteria had died down a bit about him saving the entire Wizarding World, it flared up again just as intense when he went into Auror training, and when he married his childhood sweetheart there were no end to the outcries of joy. Harry could still wake up in the night with the nauseating feeling of the world spinning and spinning, and him not being able to breathe. He had everything he ever wanted, he was happy. Why wasn't he feeling happier?

Harry didn't know when it started, when it crept up on him, but suddenly he found that he'd let himself go. First it was the Quidditch-practice he never seemed to have time for, then with his promotion as Senior-Auror he got more and more deskwork and Ministry meetings and less fieldwork. The final blow came when he became a stay-at-home-Dad.

Lily was an accident. They had been out celebrating with their friends and was a bit drunk when they got home and stumbled into bed, and Harry forgot to cast the contraceptive spell. Ginny was furious and out of her mind when she found out she was pregnant again. She had worked so hard to get in shape after Albus and had finally been able to sign a new contract with the Harpies after being away from the game for so long. In fact, that was what the celebration had been about that drunken night.

"I want to get rid of it," she said. "I want to play Quidditch, not let another baby suck the life out of me one more time."

Harry had cried and begged. and pleaded, and after days of relentless arguing and negotiating, she conceded, but she refused to breastfeed Lily, so Harry quit his job on the day she was born.

But the issue of Lily and Quidditch showed them how different they valued things, what they thought was important and what they wanted. To Harry, having a family was everything, to Ginny it wasn't. She loved her children, she would walk through fire for them, but she wanted something more, something that was only hers.

"I never intended to be only a Mum, a little house-wife," she said. "You know that. I want to play, it's what I'm good at."

And so, she did, and Harry made pancakes, changed dipers and read bedtime stories. He kissed Ginny goodbye when she left for a tournament, waited up for her when she came home late after a game, and he thought they were both relatively happy and content with the arrangement and their lives.

Boy was he wrong.

0o0o0o0o

Draco never liked coming to Diagon Alley, or anywhere else in the Wizarding World for that matter, but he forced himself to it, to face them all, at least once a month. The attacs on him had more or less stopped, but there were still one or two every time he went out in public who hissed something about filthy Death Eaters behind his back or cast a stinging hex at him as he passed. Even if it's been more than ten years since the war, they made sure he never forgot what he was.

It didn't stop him from going, though. He wouldn't let it. He kept his head high and his eyes straight forward, and with strides that incorporated all his inherited indisputable Malfoy-confidence, he walked on and tried not to meet the eyes of the by-passers, as he made his round to the various shops. He always apparated in. Once he made the mistake to walk into the Leaky Cauldron to make the passage through the wall, only to be chased out with screams and violent threats. But that was a long time ago now, and so far this day had been without anyone noticing him. A good day.

He stepped into the bookshop. He had no real purpose, only a faint desire for something new to read, one of the latest Auror-crime novels, parhaps. He browesed the shelves and suddanly froze as he turned a corner.

Potter!

I'd been a long time since Draco had last seen him, years even.

Draco watched the dark-haired man move slowly along the stack of books. Something about that familiar figure was different, but it still sent the same ripple of want through him, the same as it had all those years ago. It was something Draco had long ago made his peace with, accepted as a fact of life, just as sure as the faces of the moon or as the sun raising in the East. Draco loved Harry Potter and had done so since he could remember.

Draco turned a corner so he could get a better angle and as Potter bent down to look at a low shelf, Draco saw what was different. He felt his face flush red with desire. Potter had gained weight. Why that revelation made Draco's toes curl and his heart flutter, he had no idea, but it did. Maybe because it made him human, vulnerable, with flaws, just like everybody else, just like Draco. Not perfect and unattainable. Somehow it made all the difference in the world.

0o0o0o0o

Harry really had no clue of what he was looking for as he randomly pulled out one suspicious old volume after another in the section of _Curses and Dark Spells_ at Flourish and Blotts.

Of course, he knew mostly what there was to know about Defence Against Dark Arts as an Auror, but this was different. This had to be some old pureblood-family spell, that had proven to be totally unbreakable.

"Need some help finding what you're looking for, Potter?"

He'd know that posh drawl behind him anywhere. "Malfoy?" He turned to face his former antagonist. Even as he also must rapidly be closing in on thirty, he looked the same. Still tall and slim, with razor-sharp cheekbones, pointy nose and steel-grey eyes. The shoulder-length blond hair seemed a bit thinner, though. "So, they let you out now and again, huh?" Harry couldn't resist the smirk.

"Don't be rude, it doesn't suit you. You know I was cleared of all charges."

"Because of my testimony, yes."

"Well, I see that you're still too full of yourself, Saint Potter, even after all these years. Good luck with the Dark spells, then." The swirl of black robes as he rounded the corner to another section would have made Severus Snape grit his teeth in envy. Harry huffed. Some things never seemed to change.

But Harry could feel Malfoy's eyes following him around the bookshop as he continued to lift up the dusty old tomes. It made him feel uneasy and wondering. Eventually he grabbed a couple of books that might possibly help him with his problem and went for the register.

When he'd payed and had his purchase handed over to him in a paperbag, Malfoy was again right behind him.

"This is ridiculous, Potter. I'm sorry for what I said earlier, it just slipped out the way it used to. I'm not that kind of man anymore. Would you like to have a cup of coffee with me, see if maybe we can start over?"

Harry was stunned by surprise, but nodded none the less. "I don't have much time, though. I promised Molly I'll be back to pick up the kids in good time for her to make dinner."

They went to the new little teashop just around the corner and sat down at a small round table. It felt a little awkward sitting there, so civilized, with his school-nemesis, but luckily for Harry, Malfoy had no problem with starting up a conversation.

"What about the Dark-curse books? Auror problems?" Malfoy put the tiniest splash of milk in his tea.

"No," Harry gave a short laugh. "It's a private matter. I'm not with the Aurors anymore." At that Malfoy's eyebrow shot up, questioning. "I went on parental leave when my daughter was born."

"So, you're a family man, then?"

"Yes, there's James, who's six, Albus, who'll be four in a couple of months, and baby Lily."

"With the Weaslette, I presume?"

"Ginny, yes. But we're divorced… It just came through." He still felt strained talking about it, letting people know how he'd failed, especially to someone like Malfoy.

"Aha, so you want to curse _her._ Is that legal now?" Malfoy smirked and wiggled his eyebrows. "What did she do to you?"

"It's not like that." Harry shook his head and smiled. He couldn't help being a bit amused. "It's for my house, actually. I'm having a bit of a problem with the previous owners. Relatives of yours, I guess."

"Don't tell me," Malfoy laughed, "you live in that horrible old town-house that was in Sirius' will?"

"You know about Grimmauld Place? I thought it was under a _Fidelius_ charm?"

"Of course, I know about the Black family house. I was there with my mother several times when I was a child. In the end, my mother was the only living relative Great-aunt Walburga had any respect and toleration for. Horrible old woman." He shuddered at the thought.

"Well, I'm trying to make it inhabitable. It was easy enough with the Boggarts and the doxies, I even got rid of the ghoul, but the picture of Sirius' mother simply won't come off the wall. I can't have my children living there with her shouting obscenities at them."

Malfoy leaned back in his chair and fixed Harry with his grey eyes. There was a spark of glittering silver in them. "Maybe I can help. I work as a Curse-breaker occationally, as a kind of special cunsultant. Gringotts hire me when they have trouble with some Dark Art effects. I can give it a try. If you want me to, that is?"

"I need all the help I can get." Harry almost held his breath. This was unexpected. "Would you like to? I'd be very greatful."

When they parted, they shook hands and arranged to meet in a couple of days. "Ginny and I haven't quite worked out a schedule yet, and since she has a training match tomorrow, I have to be with the kids until she's home. But the day after should be fine. I'll open the Floo for you."

0o0o0o0o

"I've finished some of the renovations already," Harry said as he took Malfoy on a tour around the house. "The bathrooms and the kitchen are almost ready, I started with those. And the living room. It took a while to install the electricity, the magic in the house kept resisting it, but it was worth the effort. Now the kids can watch DVD's on the telly."

Malfoy gave Harry a puzzled look. "You lost me there, I'm afraid."

"Anyway," Harry just shrugged his shoulders, tired of explaining the benefits of such a simple thing as electricity to pureblood wizards. The kids were used to it, he was used to it. "Now what's left is some new wallpaper and paint, and that's why I look like this." He made a gesture to his paint-smeared dungarees.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "You're doing it yourself? Never heard of house-elves? I'm sure in a house like this they come by the dozen."

"Only one, Kreacher, but he's very old now and never leaves his bed. I bring him food and try to take care of him as much as I can."

Malfoy burst out laughing. "Only you, Potter. Only you would nurse your old elf."

"What do you do with them, then, when they get old? Is there a house-elf Retirement-home somewhere I never heard of?"

Malfoy furrowed his brow. "I don't know. When they couldn't work anymore, they just disappeared. I suppose my father got rid of them somehow."

"You mean, he KILLLED them?" Harry was fuming.

"You know, I've never given it a thought until now, but yes, it seems very likely that he killed them."

"But that's outrageous! You can't treat any living being that way. I'm gonna care for Kreatcher, even if he can't stand me and insults me all the time."

"Old pureblood superiority beliefs?" Malfoy smirked.

Harry winced. "Worse than Voldemort."

Malfoy snickered, but his gaze drifted away and with an effort to sound nonchalant, he said, "Maybe I can visit him sometime, talk to him about the old days and such."

Harry gaped. "Would you do that? That'd be great." He beamed. "He would have a field-day, meeting someone from the old family again." He looked at Malfoy in surprise. This man had turned out quite different from what he'd expected.

"Hmm, well." There was a faint flush on his face. "It won't make up for the past sins of my father, but still." Malfoy cleared his throat. "Shall we proceed with the real problem, then?"

They stood in front of the covered picture on the second landing. "Are you ready?" Harry asked. Malfoy nodded, and Harry pulled the black fabric down. A banshee-like screech immediatly filled the air.

"YOU FILTHY HALF-BLOOD... I WILL... Wait, I know you." The old witch in the portrait bent forward and glared at Malfoy, her bony hand reaching out towards him, pointing. "You're the Malfoy boy that Cissa married."

"No, ma'am, that would be my father," Malfoy answered politely. "I'm Draco."

Mrs Black made a snorting sound. "What are you doing here, in my house, with _him?"_ Malfoy gave Harry a quick glance. "That disgrace of a wizard that has occupied my home." She turned to Harry. "I can still hear you, you know, roaming around, moving my things, casting spells, you fat half-breed slob." She looked back at Malfoy and narrowed her mean black eyes at him. "You're a blood-traitor. My lovely niece's child, from the very best of bloodlines. Revolting!" She sat back in her seat again and her eyes moved back and forth on the two men.

"And what more," she said with a malicious grin. "You covet him. I can tell. You have the same eyes as that treacherous eldest off-spring of mine, the eyes of a deviant, the eyes of a WHORE." Her shrill laugh echoed through the house.

"That's enough," Harry roared. "Shut your mouth, you evil old bag." He yanked the drapes and covered her up again. "I will not have you insult my Godfather or my friend like that." He gave a sigh as there was silence again.

"Now you understand why I don't want my children anywhere near this place with her still here," Harry said, and raked his fingers through his hair, making it even more tousled. He had just called Malfoy his friend and felt a little awkward about it.

Malfoy nodded. "She's a piece of work, I say that. Let me work on the sticking charm for a while, se what I can come up with."

Two hours later Malfoy gave up and went to see Harry, who was in the kitchen. "I'll have to do some research about this," he said. "But if you like, I can come back and try again."

"Excellent," Harry grinned and put a steaming pot on the table. "I hope you'll stay and eat with me. At least that would give you something for your trouble."

0o0o0o0o

Harry would never have a relaxed relationship with food, he knew that. Not after being starved during most part of his childhood and going without food for so long under his hunt for Horcruxes. It had forever damaged his metabolism and growth, and above all, what food made him feel. Food was safety, food was comfort, warmth and rewards.

Harry secretly enjoyed the sensation of an overfull stomach and felt that he had earned it. It made him feel grounded, and in the company of Ron Weasley you never had to be embarrassed about second helpings. It was a secret, though, and strongly connected with guilt and shame. At first, after the war, he merely filled out, finally becoming muscular and fit, instead of the scrawny under-developed boy he used to be, but over the years a softness around the middle started to appear. Now, in the break of turning thirty, Harry found that most of his once rather baggy clothes were all too snug, and that he had more than a little muffin-top over his waistband.

"Are you sure you're gonna eat that?" Ginny said.

"Why don't you come with me for a run? I'm sure Mum can watch the kids for a while," she said.

"Not tonight, Harry. I'm not in the mood."

0o0o0o0o

Draco ran along the grovel-paths, rounded the old oaks, ancient as the Manor itself, and passed a nesting peacock-hen half hidden in the shubbery. It was a daily routine, one hour every day before breakfast. At first, in those wild days after the war, when all he could feel was guilt, guilt and shame, it was merely restlessness, but it had quickly developed into a need, an addiction, something he tried not to miss regardless of the weather. He had this vast park all to himself, after all.

What had also rapidly become an addiction were his visits at Grimmauld Place, and it scared him a bit how dependent he had become of seeing Potter several times a week. And it's been months now. His work on the portrait was frustrating, but he refused to give up, not yet anyway, and he was very aware of that it was much more than the task at hand that made him long for spending the afternoons with Potter.

"What do you think, the blue or the yellow?" Potter threw the colour samples on the table. "I've chosen this wallpaper for Lily's room and I can't decide which to go with it."

Draco sat down. It was the third time this week he'd been at Potter's house, working on the portrait. He'd failed again. It was exhausting work and he was rather glad to sit down for a while before going home, and Potter always made him stay for dinner. Strangely enough, Potter seemed to enjoy his company and he always cooked to feed a small settlement. He was a good cook, the food was always delicious. Not much waited for him at that large empty Manor, anyway.

Draco picked up the samples. "The wallpaper's lovely, but niether of your colours go with it. They're both too bright. Here, let me." He took out his wand and transfigured the blue more turquoise and the yellow into a much more pastel version.

"Wow," Potter marvelled. "This is so much better. They're both good. How can I choose now?"

"You could use the yellow on the woodwork and the turquoise for a carpet and blanket and stuff."

"You really know these things, don't you?" Potter beamed up at him, his ridiculously green eyes sparkling.

Draco shrugged and smirked. "Comes with the territory, I guess."

"What? For being a pureblood?" Potter frowned.

"No, stupid. For being gay."

The room fell silent. "You're… gay?" Potter's eyes went wide.

Draco looked away and he felt his ears go red. Had it slipped, or had he really wanted Potter to know. "I thought it was obvious, especially after Aunt Walburga's outburst that first day. I'm sorry if it makes you uncomfortable." Draco swallowed, a big lump had suddenly appeared in his throat, and rose from his chair. "Maybe I should leave, then."

"No." Potter stood too and put his hand on Draco's arm. "Don't leave. I've made a steak-pie. I was… surprised, that's all. I thought all that rubbish only was meant to insult you."

Draco clutched his hands on the back frame of the wooden chair and dared to meet Potter's gaze. "Well, she was on the spot, so to speak. I very much like to stay, though, if you want me to."

Potter grinned widely. "Sit down, Malfoy. Food's ready in a flash."

0o0o0o0o

"Last thing I heard," Harry said tentatively as he lifted a full-loaded fork to his mouth, "at the Wizengamot, your mother mentioned your upcoming wedding. Care to tell me what happened? I've been ranting on about my kids, my ex-wife and my failed marriage." He didn't want to poke, but he felt like he really wanted to know more.

"My mother was very persistant, and I still belived at that time, that marrying a pureblood witch and concieving an heir was what I wanted and was obliged to do, no matter what. But you see, I couldn't get a position. After the trials and ,my father's death, I studied hard and took my NEWT exams, not with bad grades, I might add."

"Why do I get the impression that's an understatement," Harry grinned, "and that you came up with top marks, just like Hermione."

Malfoy looked down on his plate and pushed the food around with a frown on his brow. "Well, it didn't make any difference, anyway. I think I sent out a hundered applications, but no-one wanted to hire a Malfoy, no-one wanted a Death Eater. In the end I said, screw it all. It wasn't as if I needed the money, after all. I went out clubbing, a lot. I couldn't care less. It got pretty self-destructive there for a while." He gave a short snorting laugh. "I was so _angry,_ at my father and at everything and everyone. There were a lot of drinking and a lot of not so legal potions, and I discovered I had a very strong reason not to get married." He met Harry's gaze. "But I came through, more or less undamaged, with a strong yearning to _live,_ so I broke the engagement with Astoria."

"Some days, though, I wish I hadn't put up that much of a fight," Malfoy continued with a sigh. "The Manor is rather big, you know, and it can be quite lonley, especially after Mother moved to France right after her house-arrest was over. She still begs me to come and live with her, but I want to stay in England. It's my home. I don't want to run away like a guilty coward." He laughed a humourless laugh. "Which is exactly what I am."

Harry reached out and gave Malfoy's hand a little squeeze on the table. "You're not a coward. You were just a kid then, same as me. Neither of us should be held responsible for what happened during the war. We were forced to do what we did, both of us. Besides, you saved my life, I'll never forget that."

"And you saved mine." Malfoy gave a weak smile. "And look at us now, sitting here at your dinner table like civilized people."

"As friends," Harry stated firmly. "And when we've eaten you can borrow some old clothes of mine and help me put up the wallpaper in Lily's room." Harry smiled, and Malfoy smiled back.

They worked side by side in the nursery, Harry insisting on putting on the glue with a brush the Muggle way, Malfoy levitating the ready-glued rolls up on the wall with elegant flicks of his wand.

"What about Gringotts, then?" Harry asked, stopping with the brush in mid-air, dripping glue all over the floor.

Malfoy made a face at the mess and turned his back at Harry while he concentrated on an especially tricky strip of the wall. The house was crooked and no corner was straight. "Ah, that came much later," he said with a smirk. "It turns out I have some rare knowledge about the Dark Arts that not many Curse-breakers have, thanks to my father's persistant training. They owled me about a particulary difficult case, and I've been consulted now and then ever since."

"Any chance of it becoming more permanent?" Harry resumed to putting more glue on the paper, turning his back at Malfoy.

"Maybe." Malfoy's voice was low. "But I don't put too much hope into it. What about yourself, then? Planning on going back to the DMLE now?"

Harry shook his head. "Not until Lily's away to Hogwarts, and by then I'll be both too old and too heavy for active duty, I reckon." He sighed and slapped a hand on his belly. "If I don't get a grip of it by then, that is. The way it's going, I'll never get laid again, ever. I'll become this pathetic fat divorced bloke who used to be famous for a while."

Malfoy's face was bright red when he spoke into the wall. "Don't be absurd. You'll always be someone people look up to, their Saviour, the Chosen One, no matter what. Besides, I think you look good."

0o0o0o0o

"Who're you?" The little boy, who was sitting at the big table, glared angrily at the tall man who took an insecure step after coming through the flames at the hearth of Harry's kitchen.

"Oh!" Malfoy pulled himself up to his full height. "I'm Draco. I'm a friend of your father's. Who might you be, then?"

The dark-haired boy put his crayon down among the others on the paper and frowned. He was still sceptical. "If you're Dad's friend, how come you've never been to our house? I know all of Mum's and Dad's friends and I've never seen _you_ before."

"Jamie!" Harry stood at the door and looked startled at his eldest son. "That wasn't very nice, was it? Mr Malfoy's an old friend of mine since school. Now, get up and apologise." He shifted Lily to his other hip and watched as James, still sulking, got up and streched out his hand to Malfoy.

"I'm sorry, Mr Malfoy. I was rude. My name is James Potter." He turned to Harry. "Can I go now?"

"Yes, you can go up to your brother. He's in the living room watching telly. I call when dinner's ready."

The boy scurried away up the staircase. "Don't make too much noise in the stairs," Harry called after him. He walked into the room and placed the baby in a high-chair at the table-end, collected the drawings and coloured crayons, and gave her a red plastic spoon to play with instead.

"What's this? I thought you never took your children to this house."

Harry sighed. "I don't, but it was a kind of emergency. Ginny demanded I get them out of the house for the night, and I couldn't really refuse since the kid's rooms are ready for them. You won't be able to work today, I'm afraid. I put the strongest silencing spells I could think of on Mrs Black, but they have to be renewed every other hour." He turned and begun to take things out of the larder to the workbench.

"Well, if this is a bad time-" Malfoy started to say, but Harry cut him off.

"Ginny's on a date."

Malfoy was silent. Harry put a large pot of water on the cooking top and added a spoon of salt before he put the lid on.

"That was quick. How do you feel about it?" Malfoy asked.

Harry turned and looked at Malfoy while he patted the red hair of his baby girl, who squirmed and gurguled. "I dunno, really." His green eyes were moist and sad when they met Malfoy's. "It's a bit unexpected, but I guess I'm not as upset as I thought I would be. You know, she was supposed to be the one. We were supposed to be together forever."

"Was that how you felt, or was it what everybody told you?"

Harry just stared at Malfoy, with his mouth firmly closed.

"I'm sorry, that was out of line." Malfoy took a step towards Harry. "I'll be on my way, I only want to ask you something. I think I've found a solution to the portrait-problem. Quite simple, actually, if it works."

"Great," Harry said. "What then?"

"I don't want to tell you yet, if it doesn't work, but it includes my mother. Would it be alright for you if she came here?" He worried his lower lip between his teeth.

"You think _she_ can do it?" Harry's eyebrows shot up. "Of course she can give it a try. Any time."

"Are you sure? I mean, after everything." Malfoy looked a little flushed.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Harry beamed. "And now that you're here, stay for dinner. You've still to meet my second son, Albus, who's hopfully not as hostile as his older brother. I'm making Spagetti Carbonara and it will be frightfully messy, I'm afraid, but I very much like you to stay. And another thing," Harry looked slightly embarrassed, "can I call you Draco? It's a bit awkward introducing you as my old friend and still call you by your surname."

The blond Slytherin smiled. "Sure... Harry. Maybe it's about time."

0o0o0o0o

Draco had the strangest feeling. Never in his old life had he ever imagined himself in a situation like this. He was sitting on Harry's dark blue sofa, which he had helped picking out the colour for, wedged in between two little boys, eating ice-cream, watching something colourful on the bright box Harry called 'the telly'. Albus, on his right, sensed in a way only a four-year old do, that Draco had no idea of what was going on, and explained what was happening to the mermaid with the long red hair. He had just been up to cast a new spell on Walburga Black while Harry was upstairs putting the baby to bed, so he had missed most of the song the strange orange crab was singing. It didn't matter. What mattered was that he felt more relaxed and at ease here in this house than he'd felt in his own home for fifteen years.

Tomorrow he would Floo-call his mother. It's been a long time since they last spoke, and he had a lot to explain to her about what had happened in the passed months. He knew she would be worried about his involvment with Harry, not for Harry's sake but for his own. She didn't want him to get hurt, and he knew he was getting himself into deep waters. But it had become more and more difficult to stay away. The woman saw everything, had always done so. Draco just hoped it wouldn't stop her for helping them with Mrs Black, because, apart from that horrid portrait, this was now a home.

"The evil sea-witch is being very mean," he heard Al explain very seriously. "She's not at all like a real witch, is she?" He pressed his little warm body closer to Draco and rested his dark tousled head on Draco's upper arm. It was evident that he was getting tired and forced himself to stay awake. Draco put his arm around him and pulled him closer. Albus yawned and nuzzled his face into Draco's chest. It was all very strange, indeed.

0o0o0o0o

Harry walked to greet the tall elegant woman who'd just Apparated in front of his doorstep. "Mrs Mafoy, welcome in. I can't tell you how greatful I am that you're willing to give this a try." He took her hand and led her inside the hallway. Her eyes wondered around, taking in as much of the old place as she could. Harry turned to Draco, who was at her side, and gave him a nod and a smile as well.

Narcissa Black Malfoy looked at Harry with a slight frown, but smiled nonetheless. "Oh, it's no trouble at all, Mr Potter, and please, call me Narcissa."

Harry grinned widely, "In that case, Narcissa, I'm Harry to you."

He felt slightly nervous and wiped his hands absentmindedly on the front of his thighs. He wished he'd dressed differently now, when both Draco and his mother walked in wearing robes, but the truth was Harry hadn't worn robes in a long time, and they were all a bit snug. All the same, he felt a little inadequate in his usual jeans and a burgundy jumper. 

He followed them up the stairs and heard Draco talk hushly to his mother at the top of the landing, and then Narcissa turned to Harry. "Would you be so kind to bring me a chair, Harry?"

Harry summoned one of the chairs from the dining room and placed it in front of the picture. The drapes were still shut, and the house was silent, like it was holding its breath.

"Now, if you please, I would like to be alone with my Aunt. It's a lovely day today, why don't you boys go outside in the back garden for a while. I'll let you know when I'm ready."

Apparently, Draco also felt dissmissed like a schoolboy, if the bashful look on his face was anything to go by. "Mothers," he muttered.

The garden was small, even if it was enchanted, just a patch of lawn, a few flowerbeds and some fruit-trees, but big enough for a small gathering of friends on a warm summer night, when it's too hot to be inside and you never want to go to bed. It was sadly neglected, though.

Harry had begun weeding and cutting two hours ago, nervous as he was, unable to be still, and sweat trickled from his brow. Draco sat in the half-shadow on the stone-bench under a cherry-tree, reading a book. Sometimes he lifted his head and listened to the soft murmur from inside the house, but since nothing more happened, he resumed to his reading. The cherry blossomed and a single rose-coloured petal had landed on his head that he was totally unaware of, and Harry had to press his lips firmly together and turn his face away to hide the smile that was tugging at the corners of his lips, and a fuzzy warm feeling welled up inside him at the sight of this solemn looking man in his stiff robes.

Finally, Narcissa stood in the doorway. "All right, you can take her down now," she said. She looked tired and a little sad.

"Let's do it, then, Potter," Draco said and stood.

"You mean, just like that?" Harry gaped.

"That was the general idea, yeah."

Mrs Malfoy supervised as Harry and Draco carefully lifted down the portrait from the wall. All the while, Mrs Black sat completely still with her jaws clenched and her lips pressed tight together. Now, that she wasn't screaming and cursing, Harry could see that she once must have been truly beautiful.

Draco shrunk the portrait and put it in his pocket. What was left was an empty square on the wall. "What are you going to do with her?" Harry asked. He couldn't help being a bit curious.

"We're taking her home. That was the deal the whole time," Draco answered. "Well, we should be going, then," he added. He seemed hesitant and looked undecipherable at Harry.

"Right. Yes," Harry stuttered. He heartfully thanked Mrs Malfoy, and walked them to the fireplace. "Floo-call me later, will you," he shouted after Draco, as he vanished in the green flames.

It was almost midnight when Harry woke from his slumber by the roar from the fire. He'd been reading a Quidditch-magazin while he waited for Draco's call, but must have dozed off on the sofa. He rushed up and fell clumsily down on his knees in front of the hearth. "Is everything all right?"

"It's fine. Mother and I had dinner. We had a lot to catch up on and I lost track of time. I only just now returned to my rooms."

"And Mrs Black?"

"She has her place now in the upper hall among the rest of my narrow-minded bigot family members."

Harry snickered. "And she's content with that?"

"Hardly, but mother made her see the benefits of being surrounded by dead pure-bloods instead of being forced to live there with you. In the end, she agreed to be moved. No one could have done it except my mother, someone of her own family."

"But it was your idea, you thought it out."

"Anyway, it's solved now, my task is complete. You can let your family move in without me lurking about with my vicious relatives." A smirk, hard and cold, was back at his face.

Harry's heart sank inexplicably fast in his stomach. Of course, Draco wouldn't come over the way he had anymore, he'd have more important things to do, no doubt, but Harry had grown accustomed to having the git around. This Draco, that he finally had gotten to know, was funny, had a sharp wit and a fast smile. Strangely, Albus had taken a liking to him and had asked more than once if he could see him again. In Harry's opinion that said something of a man. He really felt he didn't want this new friendship to be over.

"You've done a marvellous job and I can't thank you enough," Harry said with a smile. "Why don't you come over for dinner next weekend, so we can celebrate properly?"

"All right," it came very fast from the flames. "I'll bring the wine."

"Great," Harry grinned. "See you then, Draco."

0o0o0o0o

"It smells better in here too, I give you that." Ginny opened the doors to all the closets and wardrobes and sniffed, still suspicious about letting her children move into their newly renovated rooms. "And it looks quite good too," she added, surprise in her voice.

Harry felt confident while he gave her the tour around the house. She'd claimed her right as a mother to investigate how her children were going to live, but Harry suspected it was mostly curiosity that made her poke around.

"All the rooms on the first and second floor are finished, all three bedrooms, and mine, of course, the bathroom and the living room." Harry made a gesture towards the upper landing before he begun decending the stairs back down. "There's still some work to be done in the dining room and the library. We haven't started on those yet, but…"

"We?" she interrupted him and stopped. "Who's _we?_ Are you seeing someone?" She narrowed her eyes at him as his ears reddened. He walked past her into the kitchen and started making coffee.

"If you're dating someone, why haven't you told me?" Ginny sat down at the large wooden table. "We agreed on that, remember, for the sake of the children, and I've been open about the dates I've been on."

Harry rubbed the back of his neck feeling uncomprehensibly guilty. "Oh no, it's just a friend who's been helping me out with the house, the old curses and such." He placed two cups of steaming hot coffee in front of them.

"Such as picking out perfectly matching coloures and very nice furniture," Ginny smirked. "Whoever she is, she's got impeccable taste. I know you, Harry. You couldn't have picked and matched those colours if your life depended on it."

Harry grinned sheepishly, red all over now. "Well, maybe I got a bit of help with that too."

Ginny looked at him and lowered her voice. "It's all right, you know, Harry. Our marriage is over. I believe it was over a long time ago."

Harry held her gaze and released a deep sigh. "I know it was my fault that we went wrong, and I'm sorry, Gin."

She shook her head. "No, it wasn't your fault. You were always treating me the best way. Always kind and considerate and understanding. I hope you've found someone who truly appreciates that, because I didn't." She looked down and shook her head. "Where did the spark go, Harry? The challenge? I hope you'll find it again. I really want you to be happy, you know."

"Oh, Ginny!" Harry reached out and covered her hand in his over the tabletop. "I made you so unhappy, when all I wanted was to be a good husband to you, to be your friend."

She met his eyes again and hers were flooded with tears this time. She wiped them away with her other hand and gave him a shaky smile. "Being friends with you was never my problem, Harry. Friends we can be to the day we die."

0o0o0o0o

It had been a mistake to bring the good claret from the Manor's wine-cellar. It was far too nice and smooth and ran down your throat so easily that you completely forgot the amount of alcohol it contained, and how it numbed your inhibitions.

Harry lay sprawled out on the couch and was playing a little absentminded with the stem of his wineglass, his gaze lost in space. The food had been delicious, and they had talked and laughed, reminiscing, and for the first time really talked about their schooldays and those horrible years when they'd been trapped on opposite sides of the war and how it had affected them. Outside a soft spring-rain trickled down the windowpanes, but inside the parlour it was warm and dimly lit, and the night was perfect. Draco closed his eyes and became even more aware of Harry's presence beside him, the closeness he felt towards him, the heat he radiated, his scent and the dormant buzz of his magical core.

His mother had been right, he was getting himself into trouble, but he didn't want to go back to that vast empty Manor, with all its horrid memories. He had stayed there far too long, hiding there, in a way, in the few rooms that had been his own, never in the rest of the house. He couldn't bring himself to live in the parts of the house that were connected to the Dark Lord and his followers.

Maybe he should do what she wanted and join her at the Riviera, start a new life. He heaved a sigh and put his glass down at the coffee-table. He knew he couldn't, he could never leave. Never leave Harry. Keeping a close track on Harry Potter was what had kept him in England in the first place.

"You all right there, Draco?" Harry's voice sounded a bit drowsy.

"Mother wants me to move to France with her. Again."

"Oh." Green eyes turned to Draco. Harry drained the last in his glass and put it down with a thud. "I can understand that your mother wants you to be closer, but I will miss you."

"Well, she'll be disappointed. I'm not going."

"Good." Harry smiled widely and stretched his arms up and landed back down on the sofa again. As he did so, his shirt rode up and revealed a strip of naked skin at the top of his jeans, the little pout of his belly with a string of dark hair vanishing down his pants. Draco growled at the sight, and the frantic pounding of his heart erased every clear thought from his mind. Before he knew it, he had pounced.

He attacked Harry's lips and neck with a fever he'd never known he had in him. He completely lost control. He latched on to Harry's mouth and pressed him down with the weight of his body, grinding the bulge in his trousers against Harry's, his hands fluttering everywhere over Harry's body. Draco could hear himself moan and whimper as he finally got to devour, to taste, to...

WIth a startled pang he stopped. "Merlin, what have I done?" The insight of his actions cleared his mind completely. He couldn't bear to see the contempt and disgust in Harry's eyes, Harry's kind trusting eyes, so he cowardly screwed his own shut and Apparated home immediately.

0o0o0o0o

There was an owl arriving at the Manor the next day:

 _How could you leave me like that, with sore lips, an aching hard-on and about a million questions?_ _Get your bony arse over here, we need to talk. Harry_

In truth, Harry was more than a little upset. He had spent the whole night pacing and pulling his hair, trying to sort out all his mixed emotions. In the end he came up to one conclusion; he liked having Draco around.

It took another two days until there suddenly was a furtive knock on the front door to Grimmauld Place. Harry flung it open.

"The door?"

Draco bit his lip. " You might have closed the Floo to me."

"I was the one who wanted to talk, remember?" Harry snapped, a little more harshly than he intended.

"I wasn't sure. Anyway, are you sure you want to see me?"

"Oh, come inside, will you. I asked Molly to look after the kids for a few days. I felt I needed some time alone." Harry led the way into the kitchen, where they usually sat when they talked. Harry's eyes flickered around the counters and the cabinets, too shy to meet Draco face to face.

"Do you want something? Have you eaten?"

Draco placed himself in one of the wooden chairs. "I'm fine, thank you."

"Something to drink? Tea? Or maybe something stronger?" 

"Tea will be fine, Harry."

Harry busied himself with making the tea, the Muggle way, as was his habit; one strong and sweet for himself, the other one weaker with only a dash of milk, just like Draco liked it. He concentrated on his breathing before he turned and faced the other man.

"You know, this came completely out of the blue for me," he said and stirred the tea. "I didn't know I could get attracted to men. I've never been with anyone but Ginny, and I thought I never would be." He laughed a little. "It never occured to me to look at blokes. But now, after what happened… after I've been thinking, I can't say I'm that surprised. There were always something about Ron's brother Bill, in a way Sirius, Cedric, and of course, you." He gave Draco a look. "Though it was never easy to feel anything but contempt for you."

Draco locked Harry's eyes with his piercing grey and shook his head. "I can bitterly understand that." He chewed nervously on his lower lip, but straightened up and his voice became very formal. "Harry," he said, " I'm so sorry for what I did. I can assure you that nothing in your behaviour towards me gave me any reason to think that what I did was in any way desired by you too." He held up his hands to stop Harry from interrupting. "I'm so sorry," Draco continueed, much lower, "but with the risk of making a complete fool of myself here, and this is so un-Slytherin of me that I almost combust, I have to tell you. You have to know, that this wasn't some alcohol-indused lust. I'm in love with you. I've been in love with you for ages."

"You have?" Harry rubbed the back of neck but hels his gaze.

"Yes, I behaved like a shit sometimes because I thought it was so bloody obvious."

They were silent. Then Harry said, "You attacked me."

"I'm so sorry," Draco repeated.

"Don't be. I ... liked it. I said so, didn't I."

"Still, I can't belive I did that."

Harry blushed and tried to hide it behind the rim of his cup. "I wouldn't know what to do with a man," he mumbled.

"Being with a woman for the first time comes with a manual?" Draco's eyebrows shot up in mock-surprise.

"That was different. Ginny and I experimented and tried things. Everything was new to both of us."

"And doing that with me is something else because…?"

"Well, I can think of a bunch of things." Harry gave a short laugh.

"Indulge me."

Harry swallowed. "For one, you're Draco Malfoy. I'm afraid you'd make me feel like an awkward first-year and mock me and make fun of my shortcomings."

Draco nodded. "Second?"

"Oh, well… you're Draco Malfoy. You're like this superior being. You're so bloody gorgeous, pefect body, long legs..."

"Are you telling me, that I'm perfect and that you, Harry Potter, are not?" Draco raised his voice a little. "You have no idea of how messed up I am. I also got these."

He stood and shrugged off his robes and rapidly opened the buttons of his shirt and pulled it off, revealing a crisscross of scarring, both on his back and chest. The ones on his front Harry identified as the faded marks of the _Sectumsempra,_ but the ones on his back were red and ragged at the edges. "My lovely Aunt Bella was very fond of flogging people, both with the wand and a Muggle whip. After your escape from our basement… Well, she claimed it to be my fault, which in a way it was, so..." He showed Harry the inside of his left arm. "And then there's this, of course." The Dark Mark; a little faded now, but still dark and ugly. "You know what I am, what I was, what we went through." He put his shirt back on and closed it again. "I have to pay for this every day for the rest of my life. All anybody see in me is the Death Eater. Except when I'm with you, you see me." He shut his eyes and held his cup in slightly shaking hands.

Harry gulped at the sight of the marred torso. He was responsable for most of it and felt an urge to touch the scars and make up for the pain. He shook his head. "Would you believe that is exactly what I feel when I'm with you? You're never awestruck about the old Saviour-bullshit, that I sometimes see in people I meet. Not Ron or Hermione, of course, or Ginny, for that matter, but otherwise…" He took a sip of his tea and put the cup down. "I like you, Draco, I really do. Imagine that, after everything. I like spending time with you, I like having you here in my home. I can't deny that I have feelings for you, I just don't know what they are yet. Do you think I'm a horrible person if I say I need a little time? I got to figure out who I am in all this."

Draco rose from his chair. "I perfectly understand. Take your time, I'll stay away until you say so."

"Yes," Harry also stood. "Come for dinner next week. Thursday? The house will be full of children, but I assume that's all right. You know I come with this package deal." They walked together to the hearth. "And come by the Floo next time. It's wierd having you knock at my door."

0o0o0o0o

"Ron, have you ever felt you were attracted to another bloke?" Harry tried to make the question sound casual and indifferent, but the way his friend snapped his head around at him, showed he wasn't that easily fooled.

"Come again?"

Harry played a little with his beer-bottle, picking at the gold and white label, loosening it at the corners. In Ron and Hermione's kitchen he had always felt at ease, safe. That must have been the reason he let his tongue loose, he guessed. He hadn't planned talking about this, it just slipped, being constantly on his mind. And Ron was his best friend, he'd known him longer than anyone else.

"I met this guy..." Harry started and felt the rush of blood colouring his neck and cheeks. "A couple of weeks after new year's, at Flourish and Blotts." He never mentioned to them that he'd met Malfoy, for some reason he'd kept that to himself all this time. "We… erm… been spending quite a lot of time together. He's been helping me with the house and... such."

There was a whoosh of green flames at the fireplace and Hermione stumbled out, carrying a pile of cartons containing their dinner. "Hello, loved ones. What's happening?"

"Harry's turning gay on me."

"No, I'm not. I never said that."

"You've been dating a bloke for months; I'd call that pretty gay." 

"We've not been dating, merely spent time together, eating dinner, talking."

"Duh!"

"Oh, don't be such a Neanderthal, Ron," said Hermione as she unpacked the food and placed it in front of them at the table. The delicious smell of spicy curry filled the room. "Of course, two men can meet and enjoy each others company without there being any sexual innuendo."

"He kissed me," Harry said, now completely red, and he almost buried his face in a carton of rice. "And he told me he's been in love with me for years."

"Well, this explaines it." Ron pointed at Harry with his fork, his mouth full of chicken. "This explaines why it's never been fun to watch girls with you when we've been out together. Ouch!" Hermione sent him a light stinging-hex on his ear. " I said watch, not touch."

"I was _married._ " Harry said.

"Married is not the same as dead." Ron continued to wave his fork at Harry, sending grains of rice all over the place. "Speaking of dead marriages, I love my sister, and not that it's a bad thing, not for her, but Ginny's always been a bit boyish, hasn't she?"

Hermione snorted. "How could she not be, growing up with six brothers?" She turned to Harry. "Seriously, Harry, is Ron just taking a piss as usual, or what? Have you met someone? You know you can count on our support in anything. Falling in love with someone is fantastic, Harry, we're both happy for you if that's the case. The gender thing doesn't matter. Right, Ron?"

"Right." He received a dark look from his wife. "No, really. I have a gay brother, remember. When Charlie came out it wasn't a big thing for any of us. I think Mum cried for exactly five seconds, and then everything went back to normal." He reached out and put a supporting hand on Harry's upper arm. "We're best mates, Harry, we'll always be, no matter what."

"No, we won't." Harry felt his throat contract and his voice wavered a little. "You're not gonna like this, not who he is."

"Wait a minute," Ron said with a frown. "I thought this was someone you just met, someone new. But you said that he'd known you for years. Who is this guy?"

Harry took a deep breath, screwed his eyes shut and plunged. "I think I'm in love with Draco Malfoy."

0o0o0o0o

The noise that met him when he came through the Floo a week later was absolutely deafening. At first, he thought something had happened and that Harry was in danger of some kind. Draco's wand was out in his hand and he was about to run up the stairs, when he heard Harry roar, "That's enough, Albus! Go to your room." The outburst was followed by a loud stomping, accompanied by fierce screams of, "I's not fair!" and the little boy disappeared into his room with a slam of the door. But the wailing did by no way stop at that.

Draco took the stairs in a few long strides and peered into the living room, where the Potter children were allowed to play. He met the sight of a very upset and angry Harry, with a ferociously screaming baby at his hip and with a firm grip on the upper arm of his eldest son. Harry turned as he noticed Draco coming up.

"Oh, thank goodness! You're a life-saviour, Draco. Here," he said and handed Lily over to him. "She needs to be changed and I have to deal with these two immediately."

Draco held the baby under her armpits and gave Harry a confounded look. "Changed into what?"

Harry yanked James towards the door. "A new diaper, of course." He stopped. "I'm sorry, do you think you're up to it?" He ran his fingers through his hair, making it stand up even more. "I would be so grateful. We had a bit of a row here, the boys started fighting and everything happened at the same time. I'll owe you big time if you could do it."

"Go, deal with the culprits. We'll manage somehow, Lily and I."

But when he was left alone with her and saw how messy she was, he more than doubted his ability to handle a small child. On a whim, he tried the only way he knew from his own upbringing. "Kreacher!"

To his astonishment the house-elf appeared with a distinct crack. "Master Draco called," the old elf croaked out. He could barely stand and trembled all over. It was clear to Draco that he was in no way able to help him with the child. But he must have decades of experience of childcare, and since he had taken a shine to Draco when he started to pay him visits at his den, maybe it could be worth a try to ask.

"Kreacher, Lily has wet herself. What shall I do?"

"Miss Lily is filthy. Maybe she is need a bath, sir?"

A bath, that sounded manageble. He carried the squirming, furiously screaming child up the stairs and into the bathroom connected to Harry's room, which was the only one in the house with a tub. Kreacher popped up at his side, wheezing at every breath he took.

"Kreacher cannot help," he panted. "But Kreacher can say, sir."

Draco felt utterly grateful for the offered support. "Thank you, Kreacher. Tell me what to do."

"Water in the tub, not too hot, not too cold and not too much." He slumped his frail body against the tile wall, as Draco directed his wand to the faucet and started the water running. He turned back to the baby, whom he had placed on the small table beside the sink. "Now what? I suppose you have to get out of these dirty clothes," he told Lily, whose face was turning purple by the strain of pouring out her frustration and anger. "You're a fierce one, aren't you, Lily dear. I bet you have inherited your temper from both your Mum and Dad." He grabbed the dress she had on and tried to yank it up over her head, but it was too tight.

"Sir must open in the back," Kreacher hissed.

Draco turned the little girl around and found a row of strange popping buttons that easily opened. With the dress off, it left the pants and diaper. With Lily now on her back, he took a deep breath and just pulled.

He could already tell that she smelled, but now it was absolutely unbearable. How could such a small being make such a vile mess.

"Master must wipe."

Draco stared at the elf, eyebrows high on his forehead. "Come again?"

"Miss Lily is filthy," the elf repeated. "Master must wipe clean. Towels of paper, at tableside."

At the left on the tabletop there was a box of what looked like tissue. Draco grabbed a handful and closed his eyes. He could do this, he had endured far worse in his life; coercion, torture, Dark Spells and old-fashioned whipping. This was merely a little girls bum. He peaked through one open eye and decided that it'd had to do, and lifted the child into the now perfectly filled bathtub.

The transformation was immediate. When Harry came up a few minutes later Lily was all sunshine and laughter, happily playing with a plastic pink unicorn, splashing around in the water.

"You made it," he smiled, leaning at the doorframe. "Imagine that!"

"I don't think any Malfoy have ever done such a thing before, ever. Or a Black, for that matter," Draco muttered grumpily.

"Well, you're wrong there," Harry beamed. "Sirius told me he loved to change me and wash me, and nagged my parents to let him do it as often as he could."

"He doesn't count, he was disowned." Draco tried to maintain the sour strain in his voice, but the truth was, he was secretly both proud and happy where he crouched on the wet floor.

"You see, dating me has it's disadvantages," Harry laughed and leaned down to kiss him.

It was only a quick peck on the lips, but it was more than enough to make Draco's heart go galloping madly in his chest and his face flush red. He kept his eyes on Lily and her unicorn, trying to calm down before he met Harry's gaze again.

"I can take over from here, if you like," Harry said. "A fragile truce is set, which I hope will last 'til bedtime, in the other part of the Potter family." He squatted down at Draco's side. "I'm sorry you had to witness that. The boys are both a bit edgy and tear up about almost everything these days. I think they miss their Mum." He rubbed his neck. "It's a disappointment for them, for all of us really, that she's not been able to have them as much as we thought she would lately." He lowered his voice into more like a whisper. "She was supposed to have them this weekend, but it turned out she got on a portkey with some of her team-mates to Milan instead. They're be meeting up with the local Quidditch-team for some friendly training matches and dinners."

Draco stood and moved to the door. "She married very young; you both did," he said and swallowed. "I really don't know anything about it, but it might be her way of adjusting."

Harry gave a short gasping laugh. "How come I never saw this before?" His green eyes sparkled as they met Draco's.

"What?"

"That you're so wise and compassionate."

Draco huffed. "Well, I wasn't wise enough to know what to do with the dirty clothes, so I vanished them. I'm sorry about that." He stopped on his way out. "I'll buy new ones."

Harry placed Lily in the highchair at the table and resumed with the cooking that had been interrupted by the brawl. "Andromeda fire-called me yesterday."

Draco's eyes immediately shot up to him. "My aunt? How is she?"

"Well, that's the point, not so well. She has a problem with her heart and it's not getting any better. The Healers says there's not much more they can do, and she gets so tired all the time." Harry's brow furrowed and he looked solemnly at Draco. "If your mother ever thought about reconciling with her sister, now is a good time to do it, I think."

Draco nodded. "I'll send her an owl first thing tomorrow."

"Do that," Harry said and laid out the plates. "Did you know that Teddy, her gran-child, is my Godson?"

Draco shook his head. 

"So, I always wanted a house full of children." He slammed down the last two plates at the end of the table. "Even if they can be a bit tiring once in a while." He put his head out in the hallway and bellowed. "AL! JAMIE! Dinner's ready!"

Draco gave him an amused look. "You're giving them dinner in spite of their misconduct?"

Harry darkened. "Never will I send a child to bed hungry. Never."

Draco put his hands up in defence. "Alright. I was just... It's a common punishment."

"Were you also sent to bed without food?"

"It happened. But Mother always sent the elves up later with cocoa and sandwiches, when my father wasn't looking."

"Well, I wasn't so lucky." Harry turned to the stove and levitated the pot to the table.

"I got news for all of you," Harry said as he scooped up potato-mash on everyone's plates. "We have to get another bedroom ready. Thank Merlin, there's plenty of them in this house."

"I know you all like Teddy," he continued, "and he likes you, Heavens help him, the little bugger, and he always been a part of our family in a way." He went on to distribute the Chicken Marengo. "Well, I spoke to Andromeda, and she asked if Teddy could stay here with us when he comes home from Hogwarts this summer."

"You mean stay, like forever? Like a real big-brother?" James' eyes were wide of anticipation.

"Yeah, I guess that's what I mean," Harry said. "Would that be all right with you?"

"Yeeh!" Both boys threw their hands up and yelled of joy.

"How old is he now? This is his first year, right?" Draco asked.

"Yes, it is. I can't believe how fast time flies." He grinned at Draco. "It feels like yesterday when we stepped off that train. Everything magical was new to me."

Draco nodded back to him. "You might not have guessed it, but I was actually quite nervous about going. First time away from home and all that."

"Remember our first lesson riding a broom? You stole Neville's Remembrall."

"I was such a little prat, wasn't I?"

"Yes, you were." Harry's eyes lingered on him and a soft smile curled his lips. Draco couldn't resist smiling back.

"Remember that night in the Forbidden Forest?" Draco swallowed and locked eyes with Harry. "I was so scared, and I had to make Longbotton even more scared. Then after you came to me, all I could think about when we walked around, was how much I wanted to grab your hand and hold it for comfort."

"You could have done that," Harry beamed. "I don't think I would've minded."

A violent retching sound made them both turn to the boys at their side. "What?" Harry asked James, who pretended to vomit over his plate.

"Yukky love-stuff!" he heaved and made a face. "You two, it makes me wanna puke."

Harry felt his ears turn red and he caught a glimpse of Draco's flustered face before he turned away with a cough. "Would that be so bad, then?" Harry asked. "I might find someone to be together with again, you know."

"Then take this one, Dad," Albus leaned over and rubbed his head at Draco's arm, smearing chicken-fat and tomato-sauce all over his robe-sleeve. "I like him."

Harry gave a slight chuckle and rubbed the back of his head while he gave Draco a furtive look. "As it happens, I think I like him too."

0o0o0o0o

"Tell the truth, I'm a bit nervous. As I said, I've never been with anyone but Ginny," Harry said as Draco placed a series of languid kisses at Harry's neck, and started to open the buttons of Harry's shirt. The house was quiet, the kids fast asleep and he had put up the strongest silencing spells on his bedroom. That wasn't what made him tense. He squirmed a little and shoved Draco's hands away. "Are you sure about this? It's not a pretty sight."

"So, you've put on a few pounds. That dosen't make you any less attractive, I've told you so."

"I try to... you know, not... let it get out of hand, but the truth is, I kind of like it. It makes me feel comfortable, at ease, safe in my own body." Harry sighed. "Ginny hated it, hated what I had become, was embarrassed about it. She couldn't understand. She stopped touching me a long time before Lily was born."

"It doesn't matter, you know." Draco looked Harry in the eyes and removed the shirt. "I love you, Harry Potter, and whatever you look like; skinny, round, square or bloody pear-shaped, it doesn't matter."

Harry relaxed. He closed his eyes and savoured the sensation of Draco's lips and hands on his body. "Marry me," he blurted out.

Draco snapped his head up, eyebrows high. "What? Are you mental?"

"Probably." Harry met his slate-grey eys. "But I'm not much into casual relationships with no strings attached, and neither are you, I can tell. If we could come to this point after our history, all we've been through, what could go wrong. I think we'll be great together, Malfoy. So, move in with me, marry me."

Draco remained silent and hid his face in the crook of Harry's neck.

"You like children, don't you?" Harry continued. "We could have another baby. I know you still care about the bloodlines deep down. We could investigate the possibility of a surrogate. And we could adopt. There's plenty of children out there in need of a loving home, believe me, I know. I wouldn't mind having a dozen or so." He laughed a little nervously. "You're very quiet. Am I totally out of line here?"

Draco pressed his face harder against Harry's neck and said nothing. But then he cleared his throat and Harry could feel the dampness of tears on his skin.

"Hmm, all right," Draco mumbled, his voice hoarse. "As long as I don't have to change another diaper again."

"Of course, you will," Harry chuckled. A great relief spread its warmth in his chest. "Changing diapers is very important for creating a bond with your child. It's intimate and a time where it's only you and the baby that matters."

"I can't see why I can't have the time to bond with my child at any other time. What's wrong with house-elves? That's what they're for."

"No house-elves, never. Hermione would kill me. No, you just have to get used to the smell, mister."

"I most certainly will not!" Draco huffed and pulled Harry closer.

"Oh, you will." Harry kissed the sharp jaw.

"Not." Draco gasped and closed his eyes.

"Will." Harry licked the sensitive spot under his ear.

"Not." He grabbed Harry under his chin and their lips collided, screwed together, deep in desire, then deeper still.

0o0o0o0o

_Four years later_

"I can't believe you talked me into this. My figure is completely destoyed forever." The elegant woman in the fitted purple dress held her cheek up to him to be kissed.

"I didn't talk you into anything. You volunteered, Pansy, remember. I can clearly recall you getting on about your obligation as a pureblood witch and not ever wanting children of your own. You were being the best of friends ever and offered your womb to Harry and me." He caressed her dark hair and added in a much softer tone, "I'll be grateful forever."

"Well, you owe me, that's for sure," she snorted, "going all Slytherin on me like that. How come Ginny Weasley looks the way she does, and she had three? It's not fair."

"She exercises about five hours a day. Maybe you should try that too?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Don't be ridiculous. Fetch me another glass of wine instead, and then take me to see the little dragon-spawn that's half me."

They walked out to the back garden, where Molly Weasley sat in the shade with the five-months baby sound asleep in her arms. She looked up and smiled at the two friends as they stopped to look at the child. "He's fed and fell asleep five minutes ago," Molly informed the baby's father when she held him up for Draco to take. "He's been a perfect angel."

"Yes, he's quite lovely," Pansy admitted with a smirk. "Scorpius Malfoy-Potter," she said and patted the baby on the blond head. "you're going to be just as handsome as your Daddy when you grow up."

"Oh, thank you, Pansy," a low voice behind them chuckled. "I didn't know you held my looks in such high regards." Harry continued to laugh at their faces when they turned. He put his arm around her perfectly slim waist and steered her towards the big garden-table. "Come on, I've saved you a seat next to Narcissa."

Draco took his son from Molly's arms and swayed him slightly, humming a little tune as he rocked the baby. He was going to put him in the cradel for his nap, but he wanted to stay a while, he knew Harry was about to say something. At that moment Harry stood and tapped his wand against his glass.

"Friends and family," he began, "beloved husband," his vivid eyes met Draco's, "darling ex-wife," he looked down at Ginny at his side, who met his smile with a wide grin of her own. "Tomorrow someone is to embark on his own new adventure and start a different chapter of the glorious journey that is life. Any house at Hogwarts will be proud to have you, I'm sure of that, and we, as your family, have never had any cause to doubt that you'll succeed in all you have the will to do. May your wand be powerful and your charms be swift, James Sirius Potter, and for Merlin's sake, try to stay out of trouble, at least the first week." They all laughed, and Jamie had the decency to look a little abashed where he sat between his mother and Teddy.

Harry raised his glass and they all stood and saluted the dark-haired boy. "To James, and good luck on your first year as a Hogwarts student."

There were applause and cheers, and Ron Weasley dashed over to the barbeque at the garden corner together with his brother George, where they started to hand out the grilled meat to everyone. The farewell party was in full swing and everybody they knew had come to celebrate what Harry had told him was one of the happiest days of the year. Draco couldn't agree more, but he also felt a little sad. The house would be empty with Jamie and Teddy gone. He had grow used to the chaos that now was his life.

He went inside the house and up to the nursery with Scorpius resting his head against Draco's shoulder, and sat down in the old rocking-chair that had been brought over from the Manor, and closed his eyes, listening to the sounds from the garden and the light breaths of his sleeping son.

0o0o0o0o

Harry wiped his eyes. "You're such a cry-baby, Harry." Ron came up behind him and put his hand heavy on Harry's shoulder. "They're only off to Hogwarts, not to the moon. Think of the bright side, you can spend more time with the new little Malfoy, now that the worst brats since the Marauders era are out of the way. Al is such a quiet kid, and Lily's an angel compared to my own."

They watched the children play at the far side of the garden, now that the tables were cleared and stored away into the magically enlarged shed. Harry grabbed two more beers from the cooling box and handed one to Ron as they sat down. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows over the stone-paths and the deep green lawn.

"Maybe not," Harry winked at his friend. "Draco's so enveloped in being a dad for the first time, so I stand back a little. I have a plan of my own, one that I know he's going to support whole-heartedly as soon as I tell him." He took a swig from the beer. "You know the girl from the war-orphanage I've been telling you about, Doreen?"

"The seven-year old with Downs syndrome?"

Harry nodded. "Even with the extra donations Draco and I have given, it's still difficult for the staff to properly take care of her. Doreen's accidental magic is so random she needs attention 24-7, and there's simply not enough personal for that, so I think we should adopt her. Maybe her brother Duncan too."

"Harry, they're Yaxleys!"

"It's not their fault their uncle was an arsehole, they weren't even born until after the war."

Ron drew his hands over his fire-red hair and screwed his eyes shut. "I know, I know, but still..."

"It's the right thing to do, and she's so devoted to me. It seems my presence calms her, and the concistency of a home will do her good. Duncan's perfect company for Lily, they're the same age. It'll be fine." Harry grinned.

Ron sighed and took a long pull from his bottle. "Well, you have an inclination for Death Eaters, haven't you?"

Harry turned to face him. "You still can't get over that I'm with Draco, can you?"

"Nope. It still bothers me. Quite a lot, actually."

"It's been years, Ron."

"He's still the Ferret, Harry."

"Don't call him that."

"So, ther's no chance you're coming back to the Auror-force, then?" Ron asked.

"With this?" Harry laughed and slapped his gut. He wasn't getting any smaller. "Not happening. I love my life now, Ron. Can you believe that? I'm really happy. Happier than I ever thought possible."

Ron shook his head. "I still have a problem believing that, even when I see it. You and Malfoy."

"I know." Harry beamed at him. "Strange, isn't it? It's almost like magic."


End file.
